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Nurse ordered to SARS team
Toronto Sun ^ | 2003-06-08 | Chris Doucette

Posted on 06/08/2003 4:34:17 AM PDT by Lorenb420

A Toronto nurse "assigned" to a SARS team against her will says she's prepared to quit her job to avoid risking her life. "No job is worth losing my life over," Lucia Smith said. "And I have a family to think about."

The 40-year-old mother of three works in the dialysis unit at St. Michael's Hospital -- one of four designated SARS hospitals in the city that last week began putting together special teams of health-care workers to battle the deadly disease.

Even after offering to double their pay, St. Mike's managed to recruit only 100 volunteers for the task from its pool of 1,400 nurses. And on Friday, Smith and about 59 other nurses were assigned to the specialized unit in order to make up the 160 registered nurses needed for the SARS team.

"I feel very trapped," Smith said, adding that despite her protests to those responsible for coordinating the team and a representative from her union, she was told to report for orientation Monday morning. "Basically we're powerless," she said.

Hospital officials said the SARS team will receive the proper training, equipment and protective gear to do the job, but stopped short of offering the one thing Smith said she needs -- a 100% guarantee that there is no risk involved to her health.

"I don't think a hospital is ever able to guarantee that," said Darlene Frampton, director of corporate communications for St. Mike's.

Smith has been a nurse for 17 years, much of that time spent in emergency and intensive-care units. That experience, she said, is likely why she was chosen for the team.

"It seems as though my only option may be to resign," said Smith, who plans to talk to her head nurse tomorrow before making a decision.

If she does decide to quit, Smith said she has been told she must give two weeks' notice or face possible charges by the College of Nurses of Ontario for abandoning her patients.


TOPICS: Canada; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: canada; nurse; sars; toronto
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To: aristeides
If she doesn't like the working conditions, she should quit. But she is not entitled to pick and choose which duties she will perform, especially when she belongs to a union which has negotiated a work contract with her employer.

While I empathize with her concerns, she is trying to choose an option she doesn't have.

21 posted on 06/08/2003 7:34:54 AM PDT by Dog Gone
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To: FL_engineer
I can't find the Mark Steyn criticisms of Canada's SARS methods. Can you point to an article?


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/900134/posts
22 posted on 06/08/2003 7:45:40 AM PDT by friendly
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To: All
Art in the Age of SARS : The epidemic is fueling a wave of creativity in Asia .
23 posted on 06/08/2003 8:10:06 AM PDT by aristeides
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To: All
No new flu cases in China, HK.
24 posted on 06/08/2003 8:18:40 AM PDT by aristeides
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To: Lorenb420
I am beginning to wonder what is happening...on one hand they are reporting a relatively small number of SARS cases, but on other side, the nurses are over-worked and demand a salary premium for looking after the "small" number of patients....
25 posted on 06/08/2003 8:21:29 AM PDT by thinking
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To: All
Ireland Accepts Hong Kong SARS Plan (for Special Olympics).
26 posted on 06/08/2003 8:25:55 AM PDT by aristeides
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To: All
SARS spread has not ended, expert tells gathering at CSU.
27 posted on 06/08/2003 8:27:42 AM PDT by aristeides
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To: All
New SARS vaccine, treatment unveiled .
28 posted on 06/08/2003 8:30:10 AM PDT by aristeides
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To: aristeides
No new flu cases in China, HK.

This 'headline' can't be correct - something's awry here ...

</sarcasm>

29 posted on 06/08/2003 8:32:49 AM PDT by _Jim (http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20030320/09/)
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To: _Jim
Still, I tend to believe they obscurred the facts.

For one thing, the issue of the SARS warning which they brushed off based on financial concerns. Ridiculous. Here we have one of the most potentially deadly virus outbreaks in the Northern continent and they're screaming bloody murder because the WHO tells everyone else they may not have it under control.

We have nurses here who are in touch with the people up there and from what they're saying the situation is as bad as I make it sound.

Canadian officials have already made it clear they are ready to disregard public safety giving priority to fiscal concerns instead.

I have exceptionally sound reasons to believe they are doing their best to obscure and bury necessary information. It's a crime against all humanity in my eyes, damn all Socialists and Communists to hell.

30 posted on 06/08/2003 8:33:47 AM PDT by Caipirabob (Democrats.. Socialists..Commies..Traitors...Who can tell the difference?)
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To: Caipirabob
Still, I tend to believe they obscurred the facts.

Based on, at best, fourth or fifth hand information as related by the press - who are parties in this with self-serving motivations (circulation numbers et al) as well ...

31 posted on 06/08/2003 8:40:54 AM PDT by _Jim (http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20030320/09/)
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To: friendly
Canada put obvious fake diagnoses on SARS deaths (Mark Steyn allegations). Provided third world level ER care (Steyn again).

Thanks Friendly, you summarized two of the most important points in the Steyn article, much better than he did in the first place.

I enjoy listening to Steyn when he is interviewed on the radio once a week, but his article seemed a little wordy. So, like others here who just skim things, I missed many of his good points the first time I saw it.

32 posted on 06/08/2003 11:04:38 AM PDT by Future Useless Eater (Freedom_Loving_Engineer)
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To: _Jim
No new flu cases in China, HK.

Sars is not the flu.

33 posted on 06/08/2003 11:26:07 AM PDT by CathyRyan (Opportunity may knock once, but temptation bangs on your front door forever.)
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To: FL_engineer
Stay healthy.
34 posted on 06/08/2003 11:35:02 AM PDT by friendly
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To: Lorenb420
Even after offering to double their pay, St. Mike's managed to recruit only 100 volunteers

Even at double their normal salary, it is just barely comparable to US nurse salaries. The tight-wad socalized medicine system in Canada is too cheap to pay what the market demands. So instead they revert to FORCE. Typical of a Socialist State.

It they had thought of tripling the salary, AND giving them decent protection, the market would flood them with volunteers.

35 posted on 06/08/2003 12:11:05 PM PDT by Future Useless Eater (Freedom_Loving_Engineer)
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To: friendly
Sars is not the flu.

I detect a coverup ....

</sarcasm> (or should that be </sarscasm>?

36 posted on 06/08/2003 12:58:57 PM PDT by _Jim (http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20030320/09/)
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To: CathyRyan
Sars is not the flu.

I detect a coverup ....

</sarcasm> (or should that be </sarscasm>?

37 posted on 06/08/2003 12:59:40 PM PDT by _Jim (http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20030320/09/)
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To: _Jim
It is better to be safe than SARSry.
38 posted on 06/08/2003 1:08:05 PM PDT by friendly
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To: FL_engineer
Even at double their normal salary, it is just barely comparable to US nurse salaries

And that US salary would be?

btw, Canada put obvious fake diagnoses on SARS deaths (Mark Steyn allegations).

Hindsight is a great thing. And imagination sometimes even greater. Where does Steyn, in any of his articles, make those allegations? Allegations which are allegations of illegal activity , which even Steyn knows enough not to make in print.

Why? Because they're not true.

39 posted on 06/08/2003 1:28:22 PM PDT by Snowyman
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